The Quiet
by Portrait
Summary: Alice and Jasper on their search for the Cullens. One-shot.


The Quiet

---+---

A small girl, pixie-like in shape, walked down the pavement. She was hand-in-hand with a tall, battle scared man. The two had been together for over a year and their relationship had just begun to get physical. He didn't was the girl to be scared of his scars and leave him. She thought the scars were pretty. Made him look dangerous, sexy. She didn't tell him that. Too embarrassed. He thought she felt down about his mutilated flesh. He didn't understand when she was so excited, felt love. Love. The emotion was still new to him. It confused him. He was still trying to understand it. Feared he never would.

The crowds parted for this unusual couple where ever they went. People stared. Somewhere scared and others were confused, some felt lust. Others, a select few, saw the happiness and hoped they would one day have it too. Some people thought the girl to be merely a child. On second glance they realized, yes she is an adult. But she is a midget. If only the little girl was one inch taller. She considers herself Queen of the Midgets.

Currently, the couple was heading for their hotel. They had come from a horse race were the girl's powers as a psychic helped her determine the winner. In her purse was $300. More than she had ever had. More than he had ever had. Maria never allowed him to handle money. The past year they had spent running across the country in search for some people called the 'Cullen's'.

They were now in Boston. The little girl, who just so happened to be named Alice, had spent a good portion of her life searching for these people and was beginning to get irritated. Why did they have to keep moving? She could never get a good enough grip on her visions to get it them fast enough.

There were only two things keeping her from losing her fragile sanity. One: she knew, one day, that she would find them. Every day the visions would get just a bit stronger. Just a bit clearer. Carlisle, the leader, and his mate, Esme would be her parents. The only ones she had ever known. Emmett, he'd be her big brother. His mate, Rosalie, she'd be her friend, _eventually._ She would become closer to Jasper, the blond Alice walked with, first. Then Edward. They got along okay. Freaks among freaks. Jasper stayed out of Edward's way and Edward did the same. They would all be friends one day. Family.

Two: her mate. Jasper allowed her the things a fortune teller wasn't allowed to have: stability and security. He was her other half, and, in her eyes, perfect. She had waited years for him. He was her first memory.

Jasper had just proposed to Alice the night before. Yes, she saw the marriage, but that night was a surprise. The greatest day she had ever experienced. They were alone, sitting out by a river. Having just finished a hunt, Alice had been enjoying the peaceful calm. Suddenly, Jasper had had her stand. He stood there for a moment, looking so shy, before dropping down to one knee. Alice had been shocked. That was just what Jasper wanted.

The daylight was fading quickly. Jasper wasn't a fan of the night. The worst types of people came out during the night. He should know. Every night before Alice he had stalked the streets. Preying on anyone foolish enough to cross his path. Eventually, the pain he felt feeding became too much and he had to stop. He tried to starve himself. He should have known it would not work. Maria had kept him from feeding for months. As punishment, to make him more vicious for fights, it didn't matter.

Maria. The name terrified him. She was the most sadistic, uncaring, evil women Jasper had ever met. He knew that if she really, really wanted him back all she would have to do was send her army after him. What she would do to him then, he didn't want to know. He'd had his limbs ripped off as punishment for disobeying her. What would she do to a runner? Maria. Sex. All the times she forced herself upon him. Or when Nettie, Lucy, countless other females did. When Jasper had told Alice his story, all the embarrassing details, everything, he had been hesitating to tell her the number of people he had had sex with. Twenty-seven, counting Alice. She had been shocked, rightfully so.

They had neared the hotel. Alice led Jasper to a drainpipe. They scurried up it to their room. They pushed open the window and crawled inside. In one corner, in a cheap, tacky chair sat Jaspers' bag. Small, and filled with his most important possessions. In the facing chair was Alice's bag. More of a small suitcase, it carried clothes. Jasper had only the clothes on his back when he met Alice. Now, he had more then he needed - he could just wash and rewear. Alice thought different. Once an outfit had been worn it was to be thrown away, crazy. The only time Jasper had ever changed his clothes was when one of his victims had something to fit him. That had been what he'd worn the day he met Alice. A dirty, long gray coat. A frayed white button-up and brown trousers Alice had compared to a potato sack.

She ran her fingers down his arm, hoping to catch his attention. He felt the love and lust rolling off his tiny mate. The glint in her eyes confirmed what she wanted. Jasper, never one to disappoint his mate, gladly took her. Against the wall. A first for the couple.

---+---

The next morning Alice and Jasper lay in each other's arms. Alice's dress and Jasper's trousers lay shredded on the floor under the window. Jasper was still not comfortable with his body. Parts of him were so scared humans could see. That part of his flash had been ripped really dug into. He was beginning to become more at ease with showing her his body. He gazed down at his hand. His skin was mutilated even there. His fingers were intertwined with Alice's. Her skin is smooth, milky white. The only bite he found on her was the one that began her transformation.

She smiled at him and purred. He purred back and let her head rest on his chest. The only thing that helped him was her love. When he had sex with the women in Maria's coven they never felt love. Only lust. He knew, with complete certainly, that Alice loved him. It had nothing to do with him being an empath, being able to feel her emotions. It was how she didn't care about the number of women he'd had sex with, how she put up with the constant struggle of his thirst, how she thought his scars were _pretty_, how his past didn't matter to him. There was no kinder sign of love.

He felt the freeze in her emotions. She felt nothing and he knew what was happening. His mate's eyes glazed over; she was having a vision. He wrapped his arms around her protectively. He hated how vulnerable those visions made her. When she came out of it her emotions spiked to euphoria. She looked at him; her face was so bright and happy. Jasper had never seen someone so… cherry. "Guess what? The Cullen's are moving again. Emmett slipped up. I think he had a women put I'm not sure. That's not why I'm happy though. Carlisle is moving the family to Hoquiam. I'm not sure where that is but at least I've got a staple,"

Jasper had always been good with geography. In fact, he had excelled at all of his subjects in school; in fact, he could read and do math at a college leave when he was still in the sixth grade. Alice, on the other hand, mustn't have gotten a lot of schooling. The little girl could only read the most basic literature and had problems added numbers with multiple digits. "If I'm not mistantion," Jasper began. He hated being so much smarter than his mate, "Hoquiam is looked in Northwest Washington state. All the way across the country. By the time we get there, they could have moved again. I'm sorry, angel,"

He felt Alice's emotions plummet before going back to her usual state of happiness and hope. "I guess we get to them their then. Do you remember Detroit? The trees surrounded their house look like the ones there. I suppose I can just learn some more about them while I wait. Oh! We can get married before we met them. Can't we Jazzy, please, please, please?" He looked at him the most innocent eyes we had ever seen. Wide, doe like, yellow eyes sparkled with hope. How could he turn her down?

"Of course we can. Whatever you want," She sent him a way of doubt. Alice didn't believe that that was what he wanted. He purred to her and sent out waves of love and happiness. She returned those feelings. Later that day the couple checked out of the hotel. Alice realized that Jasper needed to hunt again. She also knew that he was too proud to admit that. Consider it a weakness. She offered to go hunting. He accepted. Her poor baby.

The taste of animal was disgusting. Granted, it wasn't as bad as human food but it is repulsive. Human blood is so sweet and satisfying. It took him and while but he eventually realized that the bigger the game the better it tastes. The smaller creatures, like rabbit and squirrels, had a sour taste to them. The ones a bit bigger, such as deer, are salty. Bear and wild cats, they couldn't be called sweet but he knew they were the sweetest thing he'd be able to have again. Two months ago he had slipped up. A cleaning woman had entered his hotel room while he was alone. He couldn't control himself. Authorities are still searching for him. But that was in Charlotte. He shouldn't be spotted. Alice said he wouldn't be.

A majority of the time we doesn't trust her visions. They could show her a fair. All the people are having fun. But does she see the man, inconspicuous as he dresses, who plans on kidnapping a young girl? No, she doesn't. She sees the future but she doesn't see everything. Of course, though, he believes in her ability. He would be foolish not to. He doesn't trust it. Granted, it isn't his fault. Is time with Maria has scupled his mindset to highly analytical and military like.

He valued logic. He wanted everything mapped out and precise. She was different, she enjoyed being spontaneous and logic wasn't very important to her. They truly were opposites. But, you know what they say, opposites attract.

---+---

He opened the door for her. She danced inside were eyes shining. Something about spending money, however it was spent, really excited Alice. Jasper, on the other hand, didn't like spending money. He valued it and saw its importance. Alice skipped straight up to the front desk, "Hello, I'm looking to book a room here. Oh! How about five days? That sounds good. But, I don't want a cheap room. No, sir! I'm too good for that. Can we get your most expensive one? Please! I can pay," Alice dug around in her purse and pulled out all of her cash. Jasper sucked in a deep breath. He was shocked. How many times had he told her not to flaunt the money they had. "Let's see… I have $2000. Is that enough?" The year was 1949 and no one, Jasper was sure, was supposed to have that much money. The clerk's eyes widened. He would need to have a talk with her. "The wall here says you nicest suite is $20 a night. Jasper, what is five times twenty?"

Jasper sighed, "One hundred dollars." Alice peeled that money out of the stack, got her key, and headed for the stairs. Once she entered the room she made a big flourish. She spun around happily before collapsing on the bed.

"Alice, do you know that wealthy people have that type of money. We walked here, my clothes are in tatters, and do we look like a rich couple? No, we don't. Please, next time don't wave the money around, okay? I really hope nobody but the clerk saw that…," He trailed off at the end, thinking of the negative outcomes this situation could have produced.

"I didn't know it was such a big deal," Alice said, radiating sincerity. She leaned forward to hug her mate, "I'm sorry, Jazzy. I'll be careful next time. I promise," Her eyes widened, "You forgive me… don't you?" Seeing the state his new bride was in made Jasper hurry to reassure her.

"Of course I forgive you. I love you," He pulled her onto his lap. They stayed like that the entire night. The next morning Alice was thinking about her relationship with Jasper. Two years ago they had met, one year ago he had proposed, and one month ago they married. Neither of them wanted an extravagant wedding, the most expensive piece of Alice's dress. The only person there was the man who read them their vows. That was the greatest day of Alice's life. Luckily, neither of the two were too considered with the fact that she could not have children. A child would be nice, but it wasn't a concern.

A concern would be something more about how Alice thought the 'Cullen's' operated like a family instead of a coven. She said the leader, Carlisle, wanted people opinions on his decisions. She said the 'kids' went to school and the 'father' worked at the hospital. Operating on people, around spilled blood all day, what control he must have. Even if they were accepted, like Alice said they would be, Jasper knew no leader would be able to put up with his bloodlust. Especially if they have such great, God like control.

Thankfully, Jasper had no slip-ups reticently, which meant he would join the coven with yellow eyes. They would overestimate his self-control. He would succumb to his craving and get kicked out of the house. He couldn't bring Alice with him when that happened. No, she wanted to be part of this family. Badly. In the beginning, he being gone would crush her. Eventually, he hoped, she would realize how better off she would be without him. How she deserves so much better.

Jasper stared out of the window, he was five stories up. Some cars drove by on the road, a bicycle whizzed by, some children had to pass on their way to school. All of those people were normal. They would age, have jobs, raise a family, and die. Jasper could have a job, he could get married. But when it came to being human he was far from it. He detested himself and all that he was. An evil soulless killer. Alice, although his kind, was a unique one. She wasn't an evil soulless killer. How she could be anything like him he didn't understand. Either he _wasn't _a monster or she was. She defiantly wasn't. What did that mean for him? He was still a monster. Maybe he was the unique one.

"Jasper, baby, you've been looking out that window for an hour now. What's so interesting?" His tiny mate wanted him. Tiny she was. She stood at 4'10 and weighed ninety pounds. She has sharp features and short, black hair. It was cut irregularly but it made her look beautiful.

"Darlin', be honest. What do you think of my past?" It had been a question that had been troubling lately.

"Well, I don't like it. How you were treated and what you had to do, I mean. But I can't hold it against you; it's not your fault. Maria… I don't like her. She was mean to you… and she took _it_ from you. I'm glad you had a friend though. Peter and Charlotte sound nice. I hope I get to meet them one day. If you're worried about your scars I've already told you. I like them. I do. They are proof, as if I needed it, that you'd be able to protect me. Anyway, I like them. I don't why. It's a turn on. Does that answer your question?" She was completely serious. Jasper was mesmerized.

He shook his head back and forth for a moment, "You're a weird one, aren't you, darlin'?"

---+---

He had been following her blindly for the past ten minutes. They were walking along a dirt road at human pace. Alice had said that when this road comes to an end they will have finally met the Cullens. She said the ones named Emmett and Edward would be out hunting animals when they arrived. She said the leader, his mate, and their 'daughter' would be there. Jasper did not want to do this. In fact, he was perfectly content with living alone with Alice for the rest of eternity. But Alice wants to go here. Alice wants to live with these creatures. Jasper will never refuse Alice anything. He hates the look of disappointment she gets.

They had spent four years together, Alice and Jasper. Those years had been the best Jasper had ever experienced. He only vaguely remember his human life. Even so, he knows that all the moments of happiness than can never compare to one second of his time with Alice. His vampire life, the decades he had spent with Maria, were dark. They were the worst time of his life. He was so ashamed to admit what happened to him to Alice. She noticed, though. Her curiosity was the only thing that got him to speak. As for his time as a nomad, it wasn't as bad as his time serving Maria but it was still horrendous.

Jasper hates mirrors. Every time he looks in one the only thing he ever notices are his scars. His misses his profound jaw and beautiful nose. His doesn't see the golden eyes he works so hard for, he doesn't see honey locks of hair on his head. His eyes automatically focus on the thousands of crescents that ravage his skin. The only time he ever looked in a mirror was when Alice wanted him to. The last time he looked in a mirror was the day of their wedding, one year ago.

Alice turned around and smiled at Jasper. He looks so sad, so uncertain. Alice had spent the entire day yesterday re-explaining the situation to Jasper. After all the years Jasper had spent with Maria Alice knew he would not change over night. Moreover, she knew that it would take months, if not years, to convince her mate that the Cullens are different. She had seen this so many times, meeting them. Her giddiness was so strong she assumed Jasper must be feeling pretty depleted not to feel it to. Alice stopped walked and backtracked over to him.

He looked down at her and caressed her face. She knew what this meant. She knew he would be okay with being alone with her until the end of eternity. This gesture was to ask, are you sure you want to do this? Alice smiled at him. Honestly, she had thought herself to be the emotionally unstable one in their relationship. That was until she actually met Jasper. He nodded in a resigned sort of way. He seemed scared. Alice knew Jasper did not trust her visions. "They'll love us, both of us, I promise," she comforted.

They began walking again, hand-in-hand this time. The road turned paved at the curve in the trees. Jasper knew that as soon as they neared there he would see the house. The house he so dreaded going to. This is for Alice, he reminded himself. That was the only thing that kept his from turning and fleeing, as fast as he could. Jasper knows one day he will fizzle out, without hope. He knows that one day he will do something stupid and ruin everything he has worked so hard for. He knows one day Alice will leave him. Maybe one day, if she ponders deep enough, she will realize he was raped by a women. Maybe she will realize that no woman should have a mate so weak and leave. One day it will happen, and the day it does, Jasper doesn't know what he will do.

Jasper once thought about his body. He is an empty human like shape, rapped in skin. His veins are dry, is organs useless, so what does that make him? Jasper is ever searching for what he was promised. He was promised happiness, a loving family, and forever. Will he ever really have it all? Jasper has always been reaching for the moment he will have the upper hand on his thirst. Will he ever be able to get his filthy hands on it? All of these thoughts depressed him enough to shut down for a long time. He had finally woken from this trance, just recently. He had shut down a month after he had met Alice. As Jasper walked toward the bend he thinks of all the twists there can be in this mystery. He would gladly bet his life on something going wrong.

Alice turned past the bend and stopped. Jasper stilled next to her. Alice could feel her mates worry. She reassures him, once again, that everything is fine. He wishes to believe her. This is Alice speaking. She would never lie to him. She would never manipulate him for her own personal gain. They begin walking toward the house again. It is a rather large, two story house. Alice leds her mate up the porch steps and pushes open the front door. Jasper looks at her, terrified. You can't just walk into another coven's house.

A blonde girl is lying on a sofa. She is watching a box with a moving picture on it. Jasper stares at the screen, confused. It reminds him of the movies. The leader is curled around his mate on a separate couch. They look up at the couple as Alice shuts the door behind them. Jasper lowers his head submissively upon the leaders stare. Alice follows his lead although she doesn't believe.

Rosalie is relaxing on the sofa. She is watching some stupid variety show on the television. She isn't paying attention to her surroundings. She hears the front door open and close. She takes a breath and smells something she never has before. She looks up and sees to vampires. A short one and one with scared skin. It looks like he has been bitten all over. Two things flash through Rosalie's mind: what are these strangers doing here and what happened to the male?

Carlisle heard their footsteps and their smell before they reached the house. Two vampires, one male and the other female, by the scents, were slowly approaching his house. He tensed and exchanged and look with his wife. Carlisle has always been a peaceful man. He decided, without speaking, to just wait and see if the nomads smelt them and got curious. He listened to them climb the stairs and enter the house.

Carlisle looked up at them. Before him was a short girl, above her stood a battle scared man. He had his arms around her possessively and looked terrified. He had so many scars there was no escaping the fact that he must have been involved in the southern wars. And was good. The most curious thing about these two is the have yellow eyes. Carlisle noticed the male bow his head when he was looked over. The girl had followed but Carlisle could tell she thought it silly.

Esme waited for the vampires with baited breath. When they entered the house she peered at them. A tall man with blond hair stood behind and small girl with short black hair. The boy is battle scared, she notes sadly, what pain must he have went through? She sees his eyes roam around the room. It is as if he is making a map of it in his head. His mate looks around eagerly. She is smiling and when she sees me her smile grows. I notice their heads fall once Carlisle looks at them. I wonder if they want to join our family? They certainly seem peaceful.

Jasper stared at the floor his horror gripping him. Perhaps these people would torture him to death. Would they allow him to save Alice? He would most certainly sacrifice himself for her. He heard the three of them stand and walk toward them. They stopped a few feet off. Alice started forward, as if to greet the coven. Jasper gripped her arm and pulled her back. She could not just do that. She would be ripped apart instantly.

The leader stepped forward, "Who are you?" Jasper tasted the emotional air. The leader was feeling curiosity, pity, and calmness. His mate felt love, happiness, and curiosity. The other female felt annoyance and suspicion.

Alice looked at her new parents. The only ones she had ever known. "Hello, I am Alice Whitlock. This here is Jasper Whitlock. Would you guys mind if we joined your family? We're vegatiarnions too. Oh, and we have some suitcases in storage at the post office. We also have a lot of money so we will pay rent if need be. I've been looking for you all for a long time and we finally found you! Edward and Emmett are hunting but that is why we came here now. You know, so I can have the room I want." Alice stopped to giggle at the fascinated faces of her new family, "Jasper and I have mated so there is no problem with that right, Carlisle? Oh and Esme I would love if you could help me design my new room. Rose, when we warm up to each other I would love to go shopping with you."

Jasper looked at Alice. He was horrified. What had he told her? Don't tell them anything. We do not even know if we can trust them. Jasper looked at Alice. She seems so happy. He decides to let her do the talking. These people would trust such a small, innocent looking girl far easily than they would trust him. Hell, Jasper wouldn't trust himself. Jasper has to admit that he doesn't trust himself.

Rosalie wrinkled her nose at the couple. How did they know her name? What business do they have barging into her house? "How do you know are names?" She asked haughtily. Rosalie loves the snobby, arrogant air she gives off. Alice is still smiling. What does she have to smile about? She wishes to squash her like she does bugs.

Esme beamed. Alice and her mate wish to join her family. Already she can tell the girl will be a joy to be around. And if Alice can mate with Jasper how bad can he be? She smiled up at her husband. It was ultimately his decision. He is the leader. He nods at Esme in a way that says, lets learn more of them first.

"I am a psychic. I get visions based on peoples decisions. I see the outcomes of bets, horse races, various casino games, sporting events, I even saw visions of you guys. That's how I know so much about you. I saw you move to Hoaquim, I saw Jasper and that is how I met him, I saw you and that's how I tracked you down. I even know your gifts, who your mate is, and where the school and hospital is. I also learned how to be a vegetarian form you all," Alice chirped. Carlisle looked at her, marveled. He saw her mate look at her furiously. Apparently he didn't like so much information be dibugleed so soon. Carlisle knew that all of the vampires that left the war felt that way. The war. He would have to tell his wife and children about what happens down south. He should have told them anyway.

"You have seen your mate and yourself joining this family," Carlisle spoke, "That is correct, yes?" They nodded at the leader of the Cullen coven. "Okay, we will see how this works out. I warn you, this may not be permanent." Apparently, Carlisle notes, that is enough information to set Alice off. She hugs both Carlisle and his mate. She squeals her thanks and turns toward the stairs.

"Come on Jasper!" Alice is so happy she gets to live with these strangers. They do not want me here. The blonde woman is scared of me. Jasper knows he should follow his wife up but he doesn't feel comfortable here. Alice wants to take over the second in commands room. He turns to the side and walks to her. He needs to see everyone in the coven, at all times. He follows, backwards, up the stairs.

Emmett is jogging through the forest towards home. He notices his brother is upset about something. He knows is is best to leave him alone during these times. He notices two smells he never has before as he nears home. Edward's scowl deepens. Curious, Emmett walks inside his home. He smells the scents again, stronger. Apparently they had been standing here and moved up the stairs. His wife was in the same room as the strangers. He was not okay with that.

He runs up the stairs. Emmett notices that Edward's entire room has been cleared out. The closet doors are open and so are the windows. He looks down at the floor where two vampires are sitting. A big guy, probably a bit shorter than him, he has got scars all over. Probably more than one hundred on his face alone. They were all different sizes. Some where wider, and some looked like a child had bitten. Some of them looked deeper, like they had ripped into the skin. Others looked like the teeth had only grazed his skin. Emmett sees these scars everywhere on this guy. What the hell happened to him? Emmett is not scared, he is curious and happy. He may have a new brother.

Sitting in the new guy's embrace is the smallest adult Emmett has ever seen. She looks maybe eighteen or nineteen. Her skin is smooth and bite free. Her hair is short and spiky. Emmett thinks it looks cool. She is lazily running her fingers up the blonde man's arm. Does she not feel the scares? Emmett wonders. Then it clicks. These two are mates. That's cool. Emmett has always wanted a little sister. He looks closer at the two. The girl looks so happy, almost elated. The man, on the other hand, looks weary. He looks like he expects a fight and he is very tense. Emmett can tell he does not trust anyone. Is it because of those mysterious bites?

Edward in not in a good mood. Apparently, Carlisle has decided to add some more vampires to their coven. A mated couple, a psychic named Alice and her husband, Jasper, who had served in the southern wars. The only reason Edward knew of these wars is because he read the mind of his father. When he gets home he goes to the garage. All of his things, his clothes, his radio, his music, his couch, all of it is their. He frowns and runs upstairs. He isn't shocked when he sees the male but it alarming. He is dangerous.

Edward listens into his thoughts…_Alice says that one can read minds. What if he is reading mine right now? This is bad. We should not be here. That big one, Emmett Alice calls him, is blocking the doorway. If any of them decide to attack the window is our only way out. That mind reader. I don't like what he is feeling. I think he is reading my mind. La-la-la. _I don't like what he is feeling? Is this Jasper an empath? Edward searches Alice's thoughts for the answers…_Jasper looks so worried. I told him everything would be fine. I can't blame him though. If I had spent so many years being tortured and raped by that evil wench I would feel the same way. I hope everyone likes us. Oh, hi Edward! Please don't tell anyone what I'm thinking, okay? _Edward is shocked. First off, Alice knows he can read finds. Torment, Edward has learned, decades of anguish from the hands of a leader. He will not fit in. Edward needs to speak to Carlsile.

Carlisle knows Edward will want to speak with him. He signals Edward with his thoughts and then gathers his wife and other children. They sit in his study and talk of the newcomers. "What have you picked up, Edward?" Carlisle asks.

"The female, Alice, says that Jasper… has had a partially violent past. She asked me not to say anything. Jasper his thoughts were paranoid. He was thinking of escape routes and us attacking them. I believe him to be an empath, 'I don't like what he was feeling' he thought. He is also blocking his thoughts from me," Edward said.

Carlisle nodded, "Esme how do you feel about them?"

"Alice seems like such a cheerful girl. I already love her. Jasper, I will admit, frightens me a bit. Alice has married him so he can not be bad. His scars worry me. How did he get them? I wish he would speak. Not hearing his voice yet, it is odd." Esme expressed.

Again Carlisle nodded, "Emmett and Rosalie what do you two feel?"

"I like them. Maybe I will finally have a cool brother." Emmett smirked at Edward, "I've always wanted a little sister. So this is great! I have no objections."

Rosalie groaned, "I don't want these people to just barge into our house and take over! Why does no one understand the threat that male is?"

Edward's eyes flickered to Rosalie, "How do you know the male hasn't been through worse than you?"

"What do you mean?" Rosalie whimpered. She did not appreciate this subject being brought up.

Edward had just opened his mouth to speak when the door to the study opened. Jasper stood in the doorway, seething. He walked straight over to Edward and hissed in his face, "Those are not your secrets to tell. Utter one word of me and I will rip of your arms and set them aflame. Then, I will leave like that, vulnerable and defenseless. Over the weeks I will do the same to other parts of your body until you die. Don't trust it's possibilities? I've seen it happen. Took him three months to die." Jasper stood, his back straight and left the room.

His threat had succeeded into scaring the entire house. Don't cross Jasper, they learned.

Rosalie sat in her chair. 'How do you know the male hasn't been through worse than you?' Did Edward mean Jasper was raped too? Rosalie wanted to know something terrible. She was to scared of Jasper to get out of chair and ask him. She took to observing Jasper. The meeting was a memory, three months had past. Three months these strangers had lived with them. Rosalie had almost never heard Jasper speak. She had never seen him walk away, back turned. He never spoke to anyone and only smiled around Alice. When ever she moved from him Jasper was glared menacingly at whomever she was closest to.

Rosalie was really beginning to like the girl. Something about her, something Rosalie didn't understand, made her so likable. She seemed so friendly. From the very beginning she had told her tale. Jasper, he said nothing. Carlisle explained the wars to us. When he asked Jasper if we was part of this Jasper had nodded, "I was a general in Maria's army." Carlisle had explained to us what that meant.

Edward stayed away from him after that. Rosalie noticed the way he said his former leaders name. Like one who respects someone out if fear. He said her name and he looked so scared in those moments. Like she was there with him.

One night Rosalie asked Jasper if he would go for a walk with her. She had chosen this time specifically. Alice was shopping with Esme. Edward and Emmett are hunting and Carlisle is worked. Jasper agreed reluctantly. They talked small for a while. Eventually Rosalie worked up the courage to tell Jasper her story. "So they left me on the street to die." She concluded.

Jasper had not said anything. Rosalie wished he would say if he was raped to. Then he would understand how she feels. "Rosalie?" Jasper said softly.

"Yes Jasper?" Rosalie asked, picking a little red leaf off of her shoe.

Jasper took a deep breath. He could not believe he was about to do this. Her emotions were all honorable, he felt no spiteful motive. "I was raped to. By a woman. She threatened me with my life…" Jasper told Rosalie everything.

Maybe there was hope for him after all. Jasper thinks he made a friend through the memories they share. Maybe, he can learn to live with this coven, however unusual they may be. He may have found what he was promised.

---+---

* * *

Portrait


End file.
